Posted on 06/30/2003 9:21:58 PM PDT by TLBSHOW
Only 46 'Defenders of Sovereignty' in US House, Group Finds
By Steve Brown
(CNSNews.com) - The American Policy Center is out with a list of the U.S. House members the group considers "Defenders of Sovereignty." But there are only 46 members on the list, implying that everyone else in the 435-member body falls short.
In fact, the APC has listed 134 members as "Enemies of Sovereignty," based on their votes on five bills during the 107th Congress "that sought to protect national sovereignty - the right of the United States to defend its independent status among nations."
"As Americans gather to celebrate Independence Day, efforts to erode and attack our nation's sovereignty continue," said Tom DeWeese, APC president. "Barely one-tenth of the House in the 107th Congress voted to ensure our status as a free and independent nation."
The APC, based in suburban Washington, D.C., describes itself as a "grassroots action and education foundation dedicated to the promotion of free enterprise and limited government regulations over commerce and individuals." The group comprised its list of the Defenders of Sovereignty after tallying the congressional votes on the following issues:
-- H.R. 1794, the American Servicemembers Protection Act, shielding U.S. service members from prosecution in the International Criminal Court (ICC);
-- H.R. 1646, an amendment to strike funding from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization;
-- An amendment to H.R. 4546 to prohibit funds or support for the U.N. International Court;
-- An amendment to H.R. 2500 to prohibit funding for any U.S. contribution to U.N. peacekeeping operations; and
-- An amendment to H.R. 2500 to eliminate authorization of funding for the U.N. or any agency affiliated with it, which was defeated.
DeWeese pointed to lawmakers like Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.), who received a zero percent rating from the APC, as enemies who "voted to defeat legislation that would have ended the U.N.'s grip on our national security, system of justice, territorial integrity and foreign policy."
On June 11, 2002, Lee joined Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio), who also garnered a zero percent rating, as a plaintiff in a lawsuit against President Bush to prevent him from withdrawing from the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty without congressional permission.
"It is bad policy because this step escalates the international nuclear arms race, demands billions of dollars that are badly needed here at home and undermines our international reputation as a country that stands by its agreements," Lee said in a 2002 release. "We cannot now go back on our word and abandon this treaty."
Rep. Patrick Kennedy (D-R.I.) also scored a zero percent rating in part for his vocal support of the International Criminal Court.
"Support for the ICC is nearly universal among our allies. Among those ratifying the Rome Treaty are our closest friends in the war against terrorism, such as the United Kingdom," Kennedy said on the House floor in April 2002. "A permanent ICC which can bring future perpetrators of war crimes to full and complete justice is in our national interests."
DeWeese said President Bush did the right thing when he announced that the United States would not be a party to the ICC.
"Bush's action was a bold move and marked the first time in recent memory that an American president had taken such a strong stand against the United Nations in favor of American interests," DeWeese said at the time.
Alan Caruba, APC communications director, told \b CNSNews.com it was "ironic" that every Massachusetts representatives received a zero rating.
"Massachusetts was really kind of the birthplace of democracy in America, where everything started," Caruba explained.
Among those netting 100 percent ratings were House Majority Leader Tom Delay (R-Texas), Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas), and Rep. Tom Tancredo (R-Colo.).
According to DeWeese, the U.N. Security Council tried to thwart U.S. efforts to lead a coalition of nations to enforce 12 years of resolutions to disarm Iraq. Americans who witnessed this, he said, "gained an invaluable insight to the way this international institution opposes its own stated purpose."
Kucinich, a 2004 Democratic presidential candidate, claimed the war in Iraq in the face of intense international opposition was a "dramatic" failure of U.S. world leadership that would "tarnish" its reputation.
"Today, instead of embracing the international community in a shared vision of peaceful disarmament, the administration has forced our nation into an isolated mission of regime change," Kucinich said March 17.
DeWeese said the country was "ill served" by legislators who consistently vote against efforts to withdraw support for the U.N.
"To protect the sovereignty of our nation, the U.N. should be forced to follow the demise of the former League of Nations on to the dustbin of history," DeWeese said.
The APC released a similar index rating system on the support of sovereignty for the first time in 2002.
BUMP
LCM
"free traitors"? Isn't that cute?
It's right up there with "talibornagains", don't you think?
Ron Paul Rocks.
This bears repeating, copy and memorize and post whenever and where ever possible.
Norman Thomas, six-time Socialist Party presidential candidates and one of the founder of the ACLU
Rep. Richard Pombo (R-CA)
Rep. George Radanovich (R-CA)
Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA)
Rep. Edward Royce (R-CA)
Reminder to those who think California is a leftist wasteland: some of the greatest defenders of freedom still call our state home.
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